Guide to the Blowing Rock Historical Society Records, 1985 - 2012

Summary Information

Blowing Rock Historical Society Records consist of interviews of residents of the long-standing tourist town Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The Blowing Rock Historical Society regularly conducts regular oral history interviews of Blowing Rock citizens. Subjects vary from growing up during the 1940s through 1970s, architecture, various church histories, bohemian culture, businesses, and family histories.

Creator: Blowing Rock Historical Society

Biographical/Historical Note

The Blowing Rock Historical Society is a member-based organization with the goal to protect and preserve the historic heritage of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Chartered in 1985, the organization is a non-profit [501 (c)(3)] agency that meets five or six times a year, and hosts various events each year. It operates the Blowing Rock Museum, leads educational events, conducts regular oral history interviews of Blowing Rock residents, and publishes a quarterly newsletter.

Scope and Contents

The Blowing Rock Historical Society's oral histories illustrate the cultural wealth found in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Located in southwestern Watauga County and north Caldwell County, Blowing Rock was chartered and incorporated on 11 March 1889. Prior to incorporation, Fort Rollins, a Civil War outpost, was located there. The Bolick, Coffey, Estes, Greene, Hayes, and Storie families first settled Blowing Rock in mid-1800s. Blowing Rock has been a resort town since the 1880s with several hotels opening such Watauga Hotel (1884), the Green Park Hotel (1891), the Blowing Rock Hotel (1899), and Mayview Manor (1922). Wealthy industrialists, such as Moses Cone, built grand second home estates in Blowing Rock's surrounding areas. By the 1950s, Blowing Rock developed an artist community as well.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into three series by format: Series I: Documents; Series II: Audiocassettes; and Series III: User Copies.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for use in the Dougherty Reading Room. An appointment for research is recommended. The Dougherty Reading Room is located on the 4th floor of Belk Library in Special Collections. Release forms have been obtained from the majority of interviewees as noted below within the Audiocassette Series.

Acquisitions Information

Jeff Norris of the Blowing Rock Historical Society donated this collection in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012. The 2012 addition was accessioned as AC.2012.071. It was opened to the public in March 2007.

Processing Information

Processed by Kathryn Staley, March 2007; Encoded by Kathryn Staley, March 2007, revised 2008; Updated in 2012 and 2013 by Anita Elliott. Minor revisions made in 2014 by Cynthia Harbeson. This collection was reprocessed as part of a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The grant funded extensive processing of the backlog within the W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection between 2012 and 2014.

Container List

Series I: Documents, 1996-2012

Series Description

Series I: Documents includes release forms and interview transcriptions.

Box

Folder

Release forms, 2008-2012

1

1

Klutz, Sonny - Interview Transcription, 1996

1

2

Moose, Phillip - Interview Transcription, 1996

1

3

Sherrill, Frank - Interview Transcription, 1997

1

4

,

Series II: Audiocassettes, 1985-2012

Series Description

Series II: Audiocassettes is organized alphabetically by interviewee's last name, with subjects filed alphabetically following the interviews. Interviewees who have signed release forms have that information noted by their name. These audiocassettes are originals. See Series III for available user copies of these materials.

Series III: User copies, 1985-2012

Series Description

Series III contains user copies of the audiocassettes on CDs, arranged alphabetically by interviewee last name, followed by subjects, organized alphabetically. Dates listed are the date of the original interview, not the date the cassette was digitized.